Game



Sept. 22, 1959 J. w. KINNEY, JR

GAME

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 28, 1955 1 1/1 III/III INVENTOR.

JOHN W. KINNEY, JR.

ATTOR Sept. 22, 1959 Original Filed April 28, 1955 J. w. KINNEY, JR 2,905,472

GAME

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JOHN w. KINNEY,JR. BY

ATTORNEY United States Patent GAME John W. Kinney, In, Cincinnati, Ohio Original application April 28, 1955, Serial No. 594,542. Divided and this application April 25, 1958, Serial No. 733,224

3 Claims. 01. 273-129 This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 504,542 filed April 28, 1955.

This invention relates to a game, and to certain improved structural features of the game board upon which the game is played.

An object of the invention is to provide a game having novel characteristics which promote the interest and excitement of the players by eliminating entirely the element of skill and substituting therefor the element of pure chance. i

A further object of the invention is to provide means in a game of chance for uniformly and accurately starting the playing pieces on a course of play, so that one contestant may not obtain an advantage over another, thereby adding to the interest and excitement of the game.

Another object of the invention isto so construct and arrange the constituentparts of a game, as to ensure great economy in manufacture and assembly, while at the same time preserving durability and the necessary pleasing appearance of the game. V I

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and .illustrated flupon the accompany-ing drawings, in which: A

Fig. l is a top plan view of the game board embodying the invention. 2

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, slightly enlarged crosssectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the starting end of the game board, with the starting gate retractedand the playing piece or tumbler released. 7

Fig. 4 a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view takenon line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, the character 7 indicates an inclined board or track having a head end 8 and a foot end 9, the head end being elevated by means of a suitable standaid 10 to inc-line the board as shown In playing the game, a series of playing pieces hereafter referred [to as tumblers 13 are supported at the head end of the board in a manner suggested by Fig. 2, 'and'are subsequently'released by retracting a gate 12, which permits the tumblers to advance toward the foot end of the board. The tumblers in themselves are not new, and each may comprise an ovoid case or capsule containing ball or weight 14 which may shift freely from one end of the capsule to the other, as the capsule is tilted or inclined in various directions. Usually the capsule contains a ball of relatively heavy solid metal.

As the tumblers are released at the head end of the board, they fall onto the inclined board and because of the inclination of the board the balls roll within the capsule from one end to the other, resulting in up-ending the tumblers and causing them to move end over end down the incline provided by the table. As several tumblers are used in playing the game, their movements simulate a race.

At a point intermediate its ends, the board may be provided with certain hazards or stations, herein disclosed as apertures 15 in rows or groups extending to the foot end of the board. Each aperture or transverse row of apertures may be given a value for scoring purposes, it being understood that any tumbler may lodge within an aperture and be stopped thereby, or if a tumbler happens to pass between or over the apertures without falling in, it may eventually reach the goal indicated at 16 for a high score. The scoring values of the apertures may increase progressively toward the goal 16.

The goal may comprise an inclined stop or wall as shown, provided with. elongated apertures 17 within which the tumblers may repose without falling through, as shown at 16 in Fig. 2. The circular apertures 15 likewise are constricted in size, so that tumblers caught therein, as indicated at 181 of Fig. 2, will not fall through but will be held susbtantially upright therein. Thus, none of the tumblers or playing pieces are to leave the upper surface of the board during progress of the game. Moreover, the tumblers are confined to the travel area carrying the various apertures, by means of sloping side Walls 1818 which as indicated upon Fig. 4 may be constituted of scored and inwardly folded side extensions of the playing area 19. At 20 is indicated a foot board which may be suitably decorated, or furnished with scoring or playing instructions.

In order that all the tumblers may be released and started upon the game course in unison and with equal momentum and advantage, an improved form of starting structure is provided consisting of the starting gate 12 and a subjacent impeller member 21 including an inclined upper surface 22 exposed to the leading ends of all tumblers released by the gate. By referring to Fig. '2, it may be noted that the tumbler 13 awaiting release is supported in substantial upright position upon the retractible gate 12, while embraced loosely intermediate its ends within the oversize opening 23 of an elevated stabilizer plate 24 which overlies the gate. With the tumbler, or several of them, so supported within the several openings 23, the game may be started by retracting the gate 12 to release position, Fig. 3, whereupon the tumbler will fall weighted end first, upon the inclined surfacev tumbler at the starting point, but in addition, sends it on an initial straight course down the incline of the board to avert collision and interference with other tumblers simultaneously released. In this manner the game is enlivened because all tumblers advance practically though not exactly in unison along the unperforated stretch above the scoring apertures, until upon reaching the latter, some exhibit greater ability than others in reaching the higher score stations.

In the absence of an impeller means such as above described, it frequently happens that no fair or close race precedes the scoring, because of a tendency of some tumblers to wander before starting down the inclined track. This, of course, disheartens certain players at the very start of the game, and interest is lost because no tumbler slowly started will usually develop sulficient speed to carry it into the high score area of the playing board. Numerous tests and comparisons of tumbler action have proven the superiority of the game with the impeller incorporated therein. i

It should be noted that the inclination of the impeller member, at the point of contact where struclt by the re; leas ed tumbler, must be limited toa value the tumbler will be caused to overturn, rather 'tha n slide down the incline. The required degree ofinclination atthe point of contact will, of coursefbe dependent the surface finish of the impeller member and of the trim; bler casing. If the impeller member is fabricatedf rom paper or cardboard sheet which is not highly glazed or calendered, the inclination at the point of contact may be considerable, affording the tumblers a 'fas t sta rt without liability of slippage. The tumbler casings may be of metal, plastic, or other suitable n'iateria l haying frictional' aflinity for the material of the impeller member.

In the preferred form of' the invention, the impeller member and the tumbler release gate are built into a rectangular compartmented box situated the board 7 near the head end 8 thereof. The box includes front and rear Walls 26 and 27, respectively, spanned by the perforated stabilizer plate 24 which may be made integral therewith if desired. Beneath the perforations 23 of the stabilizer plate, the front of the box is open to permit egress of the tumblers, this opening being most clearly indicated at 28 upon Figs. 3 and '5. At opposite ends of the opening 28 the front wall of the box is proyided with a pair of slots 29 and 30 which accommodate a pair of forwardly extended coplanar tongues or guides 31 and 32 forming integral parts of the gate 12. As is best shown by Fig. 5, the gate consists of the tongues or guides 31-32 connected by the reduced neck portion s, 33-33 with a middle coplanar tab 34 w hich may be shifted in a slot 35 formed in the rear wall 2710f the box. Theiab performs as a finger piece or handle extendingfrom the rear of the box, for actuating the gateinreleasing the tumbler 13. It will be noted th at the tab is imperforate, and therefore serves the purpose of a gate supportingthe tumblers as indicated by Fig. 2; To release the tumbler,.

it is necessary only to grasp the rearrnargi .Qfth gate tab, which extends from the wall 2 7 of the box iniFig. 2,.

and shift it to the right until support for the tumblers is removed. When the tab of th e gate is fully retracted, .the. tongues or guides 3132 will assume the position of Fig.v 3. The heels 3636 (Fig 1) of the tongnes,.may. be.

depended upon to simply and effectiyely limit retractile movement of the gate.

As previously mentioned herein, the tumbler impeller. member 21 is located so as to be struck by the tumblers when released. It is necessary, therefore, that the impeller member be positioned directly beneath the. gate, and in the preferred embodiment, located also wi the confines of the box 25; So located, the impeller member is fullyprotected by the box structure against derangement and damage at all times. i i

From .the foregoing, it should be apparent that the game structure of the invention is simple anddu rable and possesses features ofconstruction and operation which render it interesting and fascinating. It'should be understood that various modifications and changes in structural details may be resorted to, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A starting gate structure for game playing-pieces in the form of ovoid tumblers containing shiftable weights, said gate structurecoihprising a box having an apertured top wall, end cprnpartments, and an lntermediate compartment openat one side, the end compartments eaoh' havingalslottedfrout wall, the slots being in a wmmsn an er sm ts el 9 the 1m, i nw srw smww ha in a rear wall slotted in 'th'ecomriion'plane'aforesaid, a displaceable sliding gate com rising a central imperforate tab extending slidabl'y th oughthe" rear wall slot of the intermediate compartment, from a tumbler supporting position beneath the top wall apertures to a retracted iqn clear of th awnings and fissrel qn uss at opposite ends oi the extending slidably through the r Wall 9 iesm a m snts sai on each including a heelfpor'ti ontp abut the rear wall of each end cbmpartnient to limit r etractionof the Sliding,

gate.

21 A ta n t esti or same ley nspie es d m fts siramb es wm in n shifta le weights, said gate strubiy fi EQWPP QPQ h v an t p wal l n t sstd strsstm ngsi m Flear or thevv aperturesfintegral. tongnes. at opposite ends of the tab extending slid'a'bly through thev front; wallslots of the end o pa ment es e the ta i l m vs ent frQm one of'said'posit ions t'o t'liefothe'r, and a tnrnbler impeller comprisin'g'a'wallinclined within the intermediate. com- P tment and disposed inthe athot tnmblers e eased by the displaceable sliding gate, said incllnedwall sloping from the rear wall. of the vintertnediate eompartment' toward'the side on the. box top.

l t n s sate s uc ure s nss fierli cl im 2 in which includedz an inclinedboard supporting the box at ubsta t a sl t an 99 he bea d an em peller wairsu er osea'up'dame board beneath the box at an acute. angle to the bgarcl.v

References Cited in the file of this patent NITE? TATE m n s 856,11 8, Wallace: June 4, 1907 1,112,243 Weitzel Sept. 29, 1914 1,374,844 Flatow Apr. 12, 1921 1',6 2'5,922 Weidenfeld Apr. 26, 1927 ,417, 73 

